Migratory birds from various parts of globe find India, a favourable winter sojourn

posted 9 Jan 2011, 02:45 by Sam Mbale
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updated 9 Jan 2011, 02:47
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Favourable cold climate attracts hundreds of birds from the European continent and other parts of Asia to Harike Bird Sanctuary in India's northwestern state of Punjab.

AMRITSAR, PUNJAB, INDIA (JANUARY 08, 2011) ANI - Favourable cold climate attracts hundreds of birds from the European continent and other parts of Asia to Harike Bird Sanctuary, located around 60 kilometres off Amritsar in India's northwestern state of Punjab.

As on Saturday (January 8), bird watchers spent delightful moments watching different colourful species of birds at this haven for the winged beauties.

Migratory geese and Siberian cranes and other species would spend the winter and return to their homes during the months of February and March.

"The bird sanctuary ranks among the top five sanctuaries in the world. For quite sometime Siberian cranes come here from cold countries. For sometime, bad water from the sewerage had driven away the birds and due to excessive cold the incoming of birds was also affected. But this year the weather has been cold and many birds are coming," said Jaspal Singh, member of Nature Care Society, a non-governmental organisation.

Harike Bird Sanctuary, spread over an area of 160 square kilometres is the second largest bird sanctuary in India.

The other birds that can be seen here are Pelicans and flamingoes coming from Europe and northern Asia.